


Four

by black1967impala



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alya is a great friend, Angst, F/M, Identity Reveal, Junior year, Poor Marinette, Reveal Fic, Truth or Dare, adorable idiots, adrien's trying his best, early ladybug reveal, i love tikki, later chat reveal, respectful adrien, sleepover, supportive kwamis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-08-22 22:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8303516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black1967impala/pseuds/black1967impala
Summary: Adrien stumbles on a situation he's wanted for a long time when he discovers Marinette's identity, but things don't exactly go as planned.





	1. Chapter 1

Marinette may have lived in Paris, but the metaphorical bubble she lived in, solidified by school and her life at the bakery, meant she lived like a small town girl. Sometimes, she felt like she knew about .01% of Paris- although 100% of it knew her as Ladybug. There were her classmates, Alya, of course, Manon and her mother, and regulars at the bakery who would trickle in every once and a while to grab a macaroon, but beyond that, Marinette didn't know or particularly need to know anyone else. The number of people she knew was small, but the number of people important to her was even smaller. Besides her parents and Tikki, Marinette had four people who she truly cared about.

Alya was one. Marinette's best friend had a heart of gold and always put her first. She was someone who Marinette could always count on, no matter what.

Nino was another. Marinette had known him forever, since they were kids, and while she wasn't as close to him as she was to Alya, he was another person she could count on. 

Chat Noir was next. Marinette couldn't tell anyone about her silly kitty, and she couldn't tell him anything, but she trusted him with her life. He was her partner: not quite a best friend like Alya was, but always dependable and forever by her side. 

Adrien was the fourth. Every time Marinette looked into his striking green eyes her brain melted into mush and her tongue became putty. She was in love with him, no questions asked. It didn't help that he was quite literally the kindest person she had ever met. His reserved nature and respect for others made her swoon.

When three out of four of the most important people in her life were going to be at a sleepover, Marinette wasn't going to say no. It was for Nino's sixteenth birthday, and god, it was going to be the best night of Marinette's life. A sleepover. With Adrien!! Every time that thought came to her mind (ohmygodAdrienAgreste) she squealed, (atasleepoverWITHME) swooned, (aweIbetwhenhewakesuphe'llBESOCUTEWITHHISBEDHEADANDBLEARYEYES) and nearly fainted (WE'LLBETOGETHERALLNIGHTANDHE'LLFALLINLOVEWITHMEANDI'MGONNAFINALL...

"Marinette!" Alya's voice broke Marinette's frazzled train of Adrien-ridden thoughts. She jumped. "Girl, you've gotta get yourself together! You got this. You can handle one night with Adrien, right?"

"O-of course!" Marinette squeaked, excitement clear on her face. 

"C'mon, Marinette, you can't act like this all night. This is for Nino, remember!" Marinette nodded. She felt guilty and knew she was going for Nino, not for her silly crush on Adrien. Besides, if she ever wanted to have a chance with Adrien, she'd have to get over her stutter and clumsiness. She felt like such a cliche - the lovesick, clumsy girl who was secretly a badass, confident, superhero - but she really couldn't help it. Her act got better and better as she and Adrien got closer and closer, and thank goodness for that. 

"Yeah, I know. I'll try my best to act normal."

"What present are you getting Nino?" Alya asked,

"I made him a new headphone case! It's not like he's ever gonna use it, those things never leave his neck, but he was complaining about needing one last week!"

"That's awesome, Marinette! I got him Ultimate Mecha Strike 4. Do you think he'll like it?"

"Alya, Nino's gonna like anything you give to him." Alya went red.

"Marinette!" Marinette smiled slyly. Alya reached in her pocket and peeked at her phone.

"It's 6:00, Marinette. We should head out." Marinette's small smile turned into an excited grin. She grabbed her duffel bag. On the way out, she grabbed a handful of cookies and stuffed them in her purse for Tikki, ignoring a questioning look from her inquisitive best friend.

\-------------------

"Hey dudes! What's up!" Nino greeted them with a wave and welcomed them in. Adrien was already sitting in front of the couch, criss-cross applesauce, on a blanket. He turned towards Alya and Marinette and gave a reserved but genuine smile.

"Hey Marinette! Alya!" Marinette smiled, resisting the urge to jump up and down with joy.

"Hey Adrien!" she responded.

"So, uh, why don't you sit down! There's some popcorn and stuff over there, and you can set your sleeping bags on the floor right there" Nino gave them an introduction while pointing at various spots on the floor. After they got settled in, Marinette and Alya plopped down across from Adrien and Nino on the blanket. Everyone exchanged gifts, and Nino opened them with glee.

"Marinette, this is awesome!" Nino held up the black-and-blue headphone case, smiling from ear to ear. "Did you make it yourself??"

Marinette smiled meekly and nodded.

"Wow, Marinette, that's so cool! You're really talented." The tips of Marinette's ears went red at her crush's compliment.

"Th-thanks Adrien! It wasn't that hard, you know, just a couple stitches here and there and a zipper and it turned out just fine!" Adrien smiled.

"Well, it's incredible." Marinette smiled at him, her crush forgotten, and for a brief moment, he was just Adrien. Nino gave Alya a big hug after opening her gift, and Marinette couldn't help but notice that Alya was in a really good mood for the next few minutes. After opening the presents, having cupcakes, and watching a short horror film, the quartet were ready to start playing some late-night games. It was a little past midnight.

"What should we play?" Alya asked.

"Mafia?" Marinette suggested, and Adrien was ready to agree, but Alya and Nino scrunched their noses and Alya shook her head.

"How about Musical Chairs?" said Adrien. Alya and Nino looked at him quizzically.

"What are we, five?" Alya asked. Adrien shrugged.

"Simon says?" suggested Nino. Marinette and Adrien both sat up a little straighter, the memory of a certain akumatized hypnotist coming to their mind. 

"NO!" they yelled, simultaneously and a bit too adamantly. They looked at each other for a moment, then looked away, thinking nothing of it.

"Geez, okay" Nino said. 

"How about two truths and a lie?" Alya asked. The three nodded in agreement. "Okay, it's settled. I'll go first." Marinette, Adrien, and Nino listened intently to Alya as she began.

"I have a birthmark on my left leg, I want to be a journalist, and I know what school Ladybug goes to." Marinette tensed and Adrien perked up.

"D-do you really know which school Ladybug goes to?" Adrien said, and to Marinette's confusion, he said it almost dreamily. Alya got frustrated with him.

"You're supposed to guess the lie, not ask it."

"You don't know what school Ladybug goes to" Marinette said immedietely, grateful she faintly remembered a conversation about how Alya has a small birthmark on her knee.

"That's right! That means it's your turn, Marinette." Marinette sighed in relief that she was right, Alya was as far from finding her identity as ever. She thought for a moment then spoke.

"My favorite fruit is raspberry, I've been to the top of the Eiffel Tower more times than I can count, and I take a nap every day." Alya guessed in a snap.

"You don't nap, girl. If you did, you wouldn't be so goddamn tired all the time." Marinette smiled and nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm not the best at this game." 

"Hey Alya, how about you let my boy Adrien go next since you already had a turn?" Nino asked.

"Yeah, sure!" Alya said. All eyes turned to Adrien. He sat in silence for at least a minute.

"Dude? You good?" Nino asked. Adrien smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry. I got it now."

"And?" Alya said impatiently.

"I play the piano, I have a dog, and I know Ladybug really well." Alya gasped. Marinette spoke up quickly. Adrien bit his lip, realizing his haste to answer might have put him in some serious Alya-brand danger. 

"You don't know Ladybug, you two have barely met!" Marinette almost shouted. Adrien shook his head.

"Nope, that wasn't the lie."

"Adrien, you know Ladybug and you haven't even told me? I can't believe you! You could help so much with my blog!" Alya cried indignantly. 

"You don't have a dog, man. Your old man would have a heart attack if there was a pet in the house." Adrien nodded, smiling. 

"You got me. And Alya, I'm sorry, I just want to respect her privacy. I'll talk to you about her later, okay?" Alya nodded, a bit less ticked off. Marinette, however, was confused. Was Adrien counting the one time she had met him as Ladybug, back when Simon Says attacked? That hardly counted as knowing her well. And if he didn't mean that, what did he mean?


	2. Chapter 2

"It's your turn, Nino," Alya said, still miffed Adrien wouldn't tell her he knew Ladybug.

"All right, uh... My Uncle's famous, I'm managing the school radio station again next year, and I have a... I have a crush on Rose," Nino said. Alya stiffened a little bit, but Marinette and Adrien spoke in unison, "You don't have a crush on Rose." 

Nino smiled nervously. "You got me," he said. 

"What now?" Marinette asked, the curiosity from Adrien's answer not forgotten.

"Another game?" Nino suggested,

"How about Truth or Dare?" Marinette said, hoping she could get some answers out of it.

"That sounds awesome! Good idea, girl!" Alya replied, ecstatic at the suggestion.

"Can I go first?" Nino questioned. He got a nod in response.

"Okay... Marinette, truth or dare?" Marinette grinned. "Dare." Nino paused. "I dare you to lick a bar of soap."

Marinette grimaced but reached behind her. She ruffled through her duffel bag and pulled one out. As she licked it, the group burst into laughter at the disgust on her face.

"It's not funny" Marinette huffed, annoyed. Adrien put a friendly hand on her back, laughing a bit but not howling like the others.

"Sorry, Marinette, but the face you made was priceless! It was a little funny!"

Marinette went red.

"It's your turn, girl!" Alya said.

"Alright, Alya, truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"I dare you to sleep alone in the other room with Nino when we go to bed" Marinette said, smirking internally. She knew Alya would never admit to her crush on Nino, but it was as painfully obvious as a sign that says "Road may be wet when it's raining". Now it was Alya's turn to redden. 

"O-okay. Nino, you alright with that?" Alya said, flustered for once,

"Yeah! I-I mean yeah!" Nino seemed excited but he tried his best to hide it. It was a plan.

"O-okay. My turn," Alya said, "Adrien, truth or dare?"

"Truth" Adrien said.

"How long have you known Ladybug, exactly?" Alya smirked. Marinette listened intently.

"Uh... it's hard to say. A year, maybe?" Alya gasped. Marinette's brows furrowed in confusion. The Simon Says attack had been pretty recent, only a couple months beforehand.

"Adrien! I can't believe you!" Alya cried, a yawn muffling her anger. Nino chuckled at the yawn-yell, but cleared his throat when Alya shot him a glare.

"Yeah, it is pretty hard to believe" Marinette mumbled under her breath.

\---------------------------

It had been a couple hours of gaming, and the friends were exhausted. Marinette and Adrien helped Nino and Alya lug their sleeping bags into the other room (they weren't gonna let that dare go unfulfilled) and Marinette was still contemplating what Adrien meant. She'd have to ask him where he knew her alter ego from. Well, she couldn't tell him it was her alter ego, of course. Oh, and it was just dawning on her that she was sleeping in a room with Adrien. Alone. With Adrien. Adrien Agreste. The model. It took all her willpower not to let out a very loud and mouse-like sound. 

Marinette and Adrien sat on the sleeping bags across from each other. Marinette was staring at Adrien and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Marinette? Is there something you wanna..." Marinette snapped out of her stupor. 

"Oh... yeah. I just, I uh...." Marinette said, "I was just wondering, how do you know Ladybug?"

Adrien visibly tensed. He responded "Oh, I've just. Seen her around." 

Marinette raised her eyebrow. Why was Adrien avoiding her question, and now, her gaze? 

"Around?" She asked,

"Around." He confirmed. There was another awkward pause.

"I uh..." Adrien continued, and Marinette perked up, "can I tell you a secret?"

Marinette nodded vigorously.

"I have a huge crush on Ladybug. I don't really know her all that well, but I like to think I do. Y'know? I know she's brave, and selfless, and loyal. And I know she's beautiful and perfect and... you get the idea" Adrien looked somewhere behind Marinette, a dreamy look in his eyes. Marinette didn't know whether her heart was soaring or being trampled by elephants. Adrien liked her. Adrien liked... her. But not her, not really. He liked the idealized, perfect Ladybug, not common Marinette. Marinette was nothing special. Adrien saw her face fall at the realization, and paused.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Adrien asked, concerned. 

"Yeah! I'm totally okay because I 100% get what you're saying hahaha isn't that insane Adrien?" Marinette started to ramble. "And you know I know exactly how you feel because I like yo-Chat Noir that's right I like Chat Noir just the same way as you like Ladybug hahaha crazy right??" An indecipherable expression appeared on Adrien's face. Was it confidence? Slyness? Mischievousness? Marinette couldn't tell, and none of those options made sense.

"You like Chat Noir?" Adrien marvelled,

"Yeah! Totally! I mean, who wouldn't like a superhero! They're just idealized versions of people. I bet Chat Noir is totally different under the mask, but his confidence and heroics make him the perfect guy. I bet it's the same with Ladybug. I bet if you met her in real life you wouldn't even like her anymore." There was a certain coldness to her tone, and Adrien couldn't help but go on the defensive.

"Ladybug is perfect with or without the mask, because nothing could change her heart." Adrien said firmly, "And Chat Noir is probably the one different under the mask. His puns and flirting? Fake bravado. You probably wouldn't like him either if you met him without the mask." It was Marinette's turn to defend Chat.

"Well, sure, but the loyalty and kindness he has can't be faked! I bet Chat Noir is amazing, inside and out of the mask. He never leaves Ladybug's side and would follow her to the ends of the earth if it meant keeping her safe," she sighed. Marinette's yelling reminded Adrien of someone. Who was it? Alya? Then he looked into her eyes, and he realized: Marinette sounded exactly like Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien's awkwardness is painful to write and to watch. Thanks for reading, hope you stick around! There's more to come!


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien paused, entertaining the notion. Could Marinette be his lady?

"Do-do you really have a crush on Chat Noir?" He whispered,

"Yeah... sure!" Marinette responded hastily. What was the alternative? "No, Adrien, I don't like Chat. He's obviously a playboy and won't stop those godawful puns. I just said that to hide the fact that I'm totally, hopelessly in love with you, Adrien. Oh, and FYI, I'm Ladybug." Hell no. 

Adrien paused at her response. He obviously was a victim of wishful thinking; Marinette couldn't be Ladybug! Ladybug would ever have a crush on Chat, and you'd think Adrien would notice if the love of his life was so close. 

There was a crash outside and the sound of a scream. 

Marinette looked up quickly, on alert. "What was that?" she asked,

"I don't know. I'll go check it out," responded Adrien. 

"No, I'll do it" Marinette insisted, standing up,

"Fine, let's both go," said Adrien with a twinge of exasperation. What if he needed to transform quickly? What if it was an Akuma and Marinette was in danger? Little did he know that Marinette was thinking the same thing about him. 

"Fine," Marinette responded. Again, Adrien was reminded of his lady. What was this new side of Marinette? Whatever it was, he liked it. 

The duo went outside and leaned over the balcony. Marinette pointed at a black figure who was quickly departing. 

"See, it's just Chat Noir on patrol. No big deal," she said. Odd, she thought Chat had agreed not to patrol that night, since both of them had civilian duties. Adrien knew even better that something was up. 

"That's not Chat Noir," he said firmly. 

"How do you know?" Marinette asked,

"I just do. Hold on, I gotta go to the bathroom," Adrien said. Marinette furrowed her brow as he ran to the bathroom and slammed the door shut and locked. She knocked on it. 

"Adrien? What the hell?"

"I'm uh... taking a shower!" a nervous Adrien replied. Marinette raised an eyebrow. 

"A shower?" she questioned, "Right now?"

Adrien chuckled nervously as he spoke. "Yeah! I always shower when I'm stressed. Don't worry about me, I'll be a minute." He turned on the shower head, transformed, and climbed out the window. Wanting to check on Marinette to make sure she stayed there safe while he went off, he peered into her window. 

He didn't expect to see a red flash, followed by the unmistakable transformation of his Lady.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this seems confusing- I went back and combined chapters 4 and 5 since they were too short for my liking. Thanks for reading! I'm overwhelmed by the positive feedback!

Ladybug paused and listened to make sure the shower was still running, then cautiously opened the window. She flung her yo-yo and flew to the next building in the direction of the (presumed) akuma, but stopped when she bumped right into...

"Chat Noir! Did you see what that thing was?" Ladybug was flustered from her run-in. He was so close; what if he'd seen her transform! However, she didn't notice how flustered Chat was too. He chuckled nervously.

"No, I uh, saw it go but didn't know what it was." Ladybug swung her yo-yo, prepared to leave. "Okay, well, let's go get this thing done!"

Chat didn't move. He sighed. "I need to talk to you." Ladybug gave him an indignant look. He looked serious, which worried and surprised her, but it wasn't exactly the best time.

"Now?! There's an akuma on the loose! You can wait, kitty." Before he could argue, she flew off. He followed.

Knowing Ladybug's identity was surreal. Now, when Chat heard Ladybug speaking, he heard Marinette. How did he not notice before? It was glaringly obvious, hell, she even wore her hair the same. The only real difference was how they acted towards him. Adrien was fairly sure Marinette was uncomfortable with him, probably because of the gum incident, but she was still his friend, and she liked Chat. Chat wasn't sure if his heart was soaring or being trampled by elephants. She liked him! But not him, really. She liked the confident, punny Chat Noir, but Adrien was just a friend. Then again, he had somewhat done the same thing to her- he liked Marinette, sure, but it was Ladybug who had set his heart aflutter. He sighed.

"CHAT! OVER THERE!" Ladybug yelled. An akuma, suited in dark brown with a green apron, was shooting streams of hot liquid at the heros on the dark, empty street. It was coffee.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir, nice of you to show up! I was starting to think you were trying to get a night off."

Chat gave his signature grin, focusing his emotions into his puns rather than confusing thoughts about Ladybug. "We don't have nights off, fighting akumas is the daily grind for us."

Ladybug groaned. "Are you gonna make coffee puns this whole time?"

"I'm sorry, My Lady, but puns are how I espresso myself! I can't help it." Ladybug rolled her (gorgeous, expressive, blue) eyes and jumped out of the way as a stream of hot coffee headed towards her. "Looks like things are getting pretty steamy, huh, LB?"

They turned back to fight and the coffee villain was gone.

"Where'd she go?" Ladybug asked. Chat shrugged and they flew off, running across the rooftops. Chat was focusing on what would be the right way to tell Ladybug he knew who she was. Ladybug's voice crashed his train of thought.

"Chat! In there!" she hissed, pointing at the thick window of a tiny studio apartment. The akuma was sitting there... painting?

Chat knew what to do. "Cataclysm!" He summoned his destructive power and slammed his hand against the window, which aged and crumpled beneath his touch.

Coffee Creamer rolled her eyes and stood up. "All I ever wanted to do was be an artist! I didn't want that dumb barista job, being fired was an insult! Leave me be!" However, her efforts were stopped by Hawkmoth, who caused her to pause and listen. She suddenly made a thick stream of coffee beans shoot from her hand, and they formed a tight and slowly rising layer on the floor, trapping Ladybug and Chat.  
"Looks like we're in a latte trouble now, my Lady."

"Lucky charm!" A bottle of red paint with black spots on the packaging appeared in her hand. She looked at in confusion. Chat kept trying to claw his way out of the rising beans, which were now up to their waists. His ring beeped.

Ladybug looked around and had an idea. She squeezed the bottle and flung the paint around the room, destroying the akuma's paintings.

"NOOO!" cried the villain, who grabbed a towel and flew over to a painting. She desperately tried to get rid of the paint. 

"You fool!"

"Chat, your baton!" Chat stuck his baton in the beans and extended it, grabbing Ladybug and pulling them both out. "The akuma's in her apron!" Chat jumped over to Coffee Creamer and grabbed the apron, throwing it to his Lady.

Ladybug ripped the apron and purified the akuma. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she cried, throwing the empty paint bottle into the air, and everything went back to normal.  
Chat's ring beeped again.

"Well, my Lady, it's bean great, but I should be going. See you sooner than you think!" He winked and gave a salute before pouncing away.  
\-------------  
Marinette had no idea how she could get back into Nino's house without Adrien seeing her, nor did she have any idea how she would explain her disappearance. She changed back on the balcony of Nino's living room, hiding behind the wall, barely out of view of the glass door, and carefully opened it. She wasn't aware she was holding her breath, but she let it out when she saw Adrien was nowhere to be found, and heard the shower running. 

Damn, how long did it take that boy to shower?

She sat back down on her sleeping bag and yawned, checking her phone for the time. It was 3 AM. 

"Tikki?" Marinette whispered, "I can't believe that akuma! I could've been spending that time with Adrien! For all I knew it could've taken that much time for him to fall in love with me!" Tikki flew out of Marinette's nearby bag.

"Well, he would've been showering anyway, right? Besides, Adrien has been talking to you a lot already! One step at a time, Marinette!" Tikki said reassuringly, smiling. Marinette paused when she heard the sound of the shower turning off.

"Hide, Tikki!" she hissed, and Tikki flew back into the purse. Marinette rifled through her duffel bag and pulled out a couple cookies, stuffing them into the purse with her. She frantically climbed into the sleeping bag and pulled out her phone so Adrien would think she'd been there the whole time, and tried to look inconspicuous when Adrien came out.

Adrien couldn't help but smile when he saw her. He had wet his hair so Marinette would think he was in the shower that whole time, and now it was limp and long down his face. He sat down on his sleeping bag and rubbed his hair with a towel. Marinette was trying to look like she'd been there the whole time, but even if Adrien didn't know her secret, he would've been able to tell she was flustered. She wore her emotions on her sleeve.

Marinette looked up, feigning surprise. "Oh, Adrien! I thought you were gonna be in that shower all night!" Adrien smiled and set aside the towel. His hair was tousled and messy, more Chat Noir than usual. Maybe it'd help Marinette notice?

"Marinette? Why didn't you sleep?" Adrien asked, feigning innocence. He struggled not to laugh out loud when she scrambled to find an answer.

"Oh! Uh! OH! I uh... I was scared of the akuma so I couldn't sleep andIwantedyoutobetheretoprotectme?" Adrien barely understood what Marinette had said, but got the gist of it and smiled, raising a surprised eyebrow.

"The akuma scared you, huh?" Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded vigorously. "You don't need to be scared, Chat Noir and Ladybug are out there protecting us." Adrien gave a Chat-like smirk and winked. Marinette wasn't catching on.

"Welll, of course! They protect all of Paris, Adrien." Adrien almost groaned in frustration.

"I think Chat cares about you specifically, princess." He channeled his inner Chat, but he still sounded unconvincing. It might've been because his voice trembled when he called her princess.

Marinette's heart fluttered. Screw the thing about Chat, Adrien had just called her princess! A bright pink blush blossomed on her cheeks.

"Why would he- why would he care about me specifically?" Adrien didn't know how much more transparent he could be. He was discouraged. Was Marinette really that thrown off by the differences between him and Chat? Could she really not see what he was trying to tell her?

"Because you're kind, beautiful, and smart." he said, a fondness in his voice. The light pink blush morphed into a beet red.

"R-Really?" A smile emerged and lingered on her face.

"Yeah, Marinette." Marinette's smile suddenly disappeared. A voice of reason somewhere deep in her emerged, and she realized how weird Adrien was being.

"Why are you saying this?" she said, almost accusingly. She had an idea of what happened.

"I- because it's true!" Adrien struggled out, chastising himself internally for sounding so unconvincing. It was true; but not telling the whole truth was a struggle for Adrien, especially when it involved his lady. 

"What did you see, Adrien?" Anger was starting to flare in her voice, just barely, but it shook Adrien. He hadn't meant to make her mad! He just wanted to show her who he was, so she could draw the conclusion on her own. It was backfiring, big time, and his face fell. He looked down shamefully.

"I saw you transform, Marinette. I know you're Ladybug." Marinette held back tears. What was she thinking! Adrien would never like her without the mask. Her expression, which had been a loving smile mere minutes before, scowled in frustration and anger.

"What the hell, Adrien? Why wouldn't you just tell me that as soon as you saw me?" Adrien felt a pit in his stomach, slowly growing. "I'm sorry I'm not the Ladybug you wanted, but you don't have to tease me like that!" His sadness gave way a bit to confusion.

"Tease you?"

"Yes! Flirting like that was cruel, Adrien! You didn't mean any of it. Besides, it wasn't even meant for me! You never would've said it if you didn't realize I was Ladybug!" Marinette tried her best not to yell and wake the others, but she couldn't help but raise her voice a little bit.

"B-but Marinette! I-"

"Just stop, Adrien." Marinette stood up and dragged her sleeping bag as far away from him as she could. She crawled inside and hid inside it, turning away from him as much as possible.

Adrien closed his eyes in defeat, words in his defense trapped on his tongue. How could he tell her he really meant all that, for her as Marinette and as Ladybug? Even though he had saved his heart for Ladybug, all of that was true of his opinion of Marinette! He didn't dare tell her his identity, she'd probably just get worse. Adrien couldn't believe his rotten luck. He couldn't have picked a worse time and place to talk to her about it. It couldn't have been worse because now, he could hear her cry.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, sorry I took forever to update. Enjoy! I always appreciate feedback!

Marinette just wanted to go home.

Ladybug outshone her in every way. She'd never be able to live up to, well, herself. She was brave in that mask, unafraid of the consequences of her actions, confident of her place in society as Paris's hero. As Marinette, she was clumsy, stuttered too much, and could barely control her own emotions.

This was a nightmare. It wasn't like some random person found out, this was Adrien! And sure, he was flirting with her, but it wasn't really _her._ Just like the rest of Paris, Adrien loved Ladybug but barely even glanced at Marinette. Even Alya, who loved Marinette more than anything, would probably rather have been best friends with Ladybug than Marinette.

It wasn't _fair._

She climbed out of her sleeping bag, sniffling, and started to pack up her stuff. She'd been crying for a good hour, and she didn't want to embarrass herself even more. Adrien glanced at her sharply, his eyes red and puffy. Marinette didn't notice, but he'd been crying too. She went out onto Nino's balcony with her stuff, and whispered to Tikki, "Spots on". Ladybug swung away from Marinette's troubles.

\-----------------

As soon as Marinette got home, she detransformed and broke down, sobbing, on her bed. Tikki tried to comfort her.

"Marinette, don't cry! Adrien didn't mean to hurt your feelings, he was just... I don't know. That was very unlike him. But he definitely didn't want to hurt your feelings! Adrien isn't like that." Marinette sniffled and looked up.

"It's not just that, Tikki. Sometimes I feel like Marinette can never live up to Ladybug. She's so much braver. If I were Ladybug all the time, my life would be so much better. People would care about me, not out of pity, but because they respect me."

Tikki sighed. "But Marinette, you ARE Ladybug! She is you! Lots of people love and respect you. Your parents and Alya, even Nino. I do too, Marinette, and not just because you're my miraculous holder. You're kind, you stand up for people, you're a good leader, and you try to do what's right. You have all the same qualities Ladybug does, because you are her! People love Ladybug for the same reason they love Marinette." Marinette sniffled.

"But that's the thing, Tikki. They love Ladybug more because she has the best in me without the worst." Tikki sighed again, realizing she wasn't getting anywhere.

"Get some sleep, Marinette." Once Marinette nodded and laid down, Tikki tucked her in and planted a small kiss on her forehead. Soon, Marinette fell into a deep, crying-fit induced slumber.

\--------------------

Alya and Nino left his room the next morning, Alya giggling and Nino grinning about something he said. They paused when they saw Adrien. Adrien sat on the couch, and frankly, he was a mess. His hair was matted with tangles from tossing and turning, his face was red and eyes puffed up from a fitful lack of sleep, and his expression was somber.

Nino rushed over. "Hey dude, what's wrong? Where's Marinette?"

"She left." Adrien's voice was carefully calculated as to not show any emotion, the same way it often was when he spoke to his father.

"Did something happen?" Alya asked worriedly, afraid something about Marinette's crush might've caused a catastrophe.

"Nah, she just had a nightmare and went home." Nino and Alya were unconvinced.

"Okay... How about breakfast?" Nino suggested, trying to break the tension.

"I'm okay, Gorilla's on his way to pick me up."

Alya and Nino gave each other worried looks.

"Alright" Alya said, unable to mask her concern. A knock sounded, and Adrien stood up.

"Thanks for having me, Nino. Happy birthday!" He gave Nino a weak smile and a hug, which Nino tightened.

"Thanks for coming, man. It wouldn't have been the same without you." 

Adrien picked up his bag and headed out with a wave, leaving behind two very worried best friends.

Once he was home in his room, he opened up his jacket, letting Plagg out.

"You messed up, kid," he said, with what was almost a hint of sympathy.

"God, Plagg, I never meant to hurt Marinette like that. I... I love her."

Plagg snorted. "All of Paris knows that. But think about how Marinette feels hearing that. Are you sure you don't love her just because she's Ladybug?"

"Yes." Adrien said with absolute certainty, and he meant it.

"Then why did you never talk about Marinette before? Think about it from her point of view." Adrien paused and bit his lip. He knew he probably would've had a crush on Marinette if it weren't for his huge crush on Ladybug, and maybe if he got to know her even better. Every time he talked to her, they got closer, and he liked what he learned. She was sweet, kind, and dared to stand up for herself and others, all things Adrien wished he could do.

It didn't really matter, either way. Marinette nor Ladybug liked him. His love was one-sided, and now both of her sides hated him.

Adrien groaned in frustration. "How am I supposed to fix this, Plagg?"

"I don't know, love is complicated. I should know, I'm in love with Camembert. It's a real struggle when she isn't around," he hinted. Adrien rolled his eyes and grabbed Plagg some cheese from the minifridge on his floor.

"See? A match made in heaven!" Plagg downed the cheese in one gulp and licked his lips. Adrien sat back down on his gigantic desk chair, and rested his chin in his hand. Then he remembered- Marinette had said she had a crush on Chat Noir.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette woke up to Tikki's high-pitched voice. She stretched and sat up, rubbed her eyes, and started to get out of bed.

"What time is it?" she yawned, eyes still closed.

"About 11:00" Tikki replied. Marinette sat up immediately. "11:00? Shit! I'm late I'm late I'm late" Marinette frantically got out of bed, threw on her clothes, and brushed her hair into her signature pigtails. Tikki giggled.

"Marinette, you do know it's Saturday, right?" Marinette stopped. 

"Oh, right." She slowed down. "Great, I guess I'm up now." 

Marinette headed downstairs and grabbed a croissant for her and some cookies for Tikki. When she ran back upstairs, her phone was vibrating wildly. Marinette picked it up, wondering who could be calling her; it was Alya, and she had 30 more missed calls from her. 

"Great" she mumbled, answering the phone.

"Girl!! Why haven't you been answering my calls?"

"I don't know, I just..."

"What the hell happened with Adrien last night?! He was a wreck this morning, left as soon as he could."

"He-he was?" Marinette asked, wondering why he could be so worked up. After all, if anyone had the right to be a wreck, it was her.

"Yeah. It didn't look like he got any sleep."

"Well, I just- we got in a fight, I guess."

"A fight? What the hell would you be having a fight over?"

"Uh... he uh..." Marinette raced to find an Alya-worthy explanation. "He found out I had a crush on him but he said he had a crush on Ladybug so I ran?" It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Oh god, Marinette, are you okay?!" Alya said, concern dripping from her voice.

"Y-yeah. I'll be fine."

"We're gonna go get ice cream, stat. I'll be over in five." 

"B-but..." Alya hung up. Marinette couldn't help but smile a little bit; she wasn't in the mood to go out, but she was sure Alya would help her feel better. She was the best best friend anyone could ask for.

\--------------------------------

Marinette sat at the table in the small ice cream parlor across from Alya, who was animatedly explaining about how Nino had accidentally dropped the waffle iron that morning while making breakfast. Marinette nodded and smiled, cheered up by her friend's enthusiasm.

"And then his mom came in and asked where it went, and Nino told her Adrien had took it with him! She was suspicious, especially when she" Alya could barely speak through her laughter, "opened up the cabinet... and-and.... there were pieces... pigeon... waffle iron!" Alya burst into laughter. Marinette giggled a bit, more entertained by Alya's storytelling than the story itself. 

Alya calmed down a little bit, smile still wide on her face. "Anything you wanna talk about, Marinette?" 

Marinette's smile faltered and she looked down at her suddenly very interesting milkshake, swirling the straw around. Alya raised an eyebrow. "You can tell me anything, girl."

"Hey, Alya? If you knew Ladybug, would you rather be best friends with her than me?" Alya almost burst out laughing again. Marinette looked up, confused at her reaction.

"Marinette, do you seriously think that I'd rather be best friends with a superhero than you? It'd be so awkard! Imagine the conversations: 'So, how was that akuma today?' 'Sorry I keep posting stuff on the Ladyblog about how much Chat Noir is in love with you' 'Can you show me some yo-yo tricks?'" Marinette snorted. "Besides, she's not exactly a real person."

"What do you mean? Of course Ladybug's real."

"Yeah, but she's not really a normal person. I couldn't talk to her about boys or help cheer her up when she's sad or go out to ice cream with her. She's flawless." The irony was not lost on Marinette, but she kept pushing. "But isn't being flawless a good thing?" Alya sighed. "Well, I guess, but imagine being best friends with someone who was always perfect. There wouldn't be any room for improvement. If I were best friends with Ladybug, I'd be too afraid of her overshadowing everything I do with her awesomeness to do or say anything, really." 

Marinette smiled.

"Alya, you really do know how to cheer a girl up." 

Alya grinned.

\----------------------------------------------

Later that night, Marinette got ready to go out and patrol. She groaned.

"Tikki, do I really have to? I don't wanna deal with Chat right now."

"Marinette, it'll be fine. You told him you'd patrol tonight, remember? It's a little late to cancel. Besides, Chat's one of your best friends! If you're still feeling down, you can always try to talk to him." Marinette nodded. She knew Tikki was right.

"Alright Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug swung to the Eiffel tower and landed next to Chat Noir, who was sitting on a beam, deep in thought.

"Hey Chat." He jumped a little and turned around.

"O-oh, hey, My Lady" he said with a weak smile. Ladybug furrowed her eyebrows.

"You okay, kitty?" It wasn't like Chat to stammer.

"Y-yeah! Let's-let's go patrol." Ladybug reached out her hand to help him up.

"I'll take north, you take south, meet back here when we're done?" Chat nodded and jumped away quickly, almost like he'd seen a ghost. Ladybug flung her yo-yo the other way, hoping Chat would be acting more normal when she tried to talk to him later.

\--------------------------

Chat rushed through patrol and paced on a beam of the Eiffel tower. 

_Goddammit, Adrien, pull yourself together. Nothing's different, she doesn't know anything's wrong. Stop acting like Adrien and start acting like Chat,_ he admonished himself. He sat down and leaned on his stick. Learning Ladybug was Marinette should've made his crush easier to talk through, not harder! He was so lovesick it hurt.

Ladybug landed softly next to him and sat down. She took a little longer on patrol than usual, trying to think of how to ask Chat for advice.

"Hey, Chat, can I talk to you?" Chat looked up at her, and smiled softly. "Of course, my Lady." 

Why was he acting so weird today?

"It's uh, a civilian thing, but I need some advice." Chat's ears perked up and he nodded, hoping she'd go on.

Ladybug took a deep breath. "Somebody found out I'm Ladybug."

"Well, are you sure that's a bad thing? I know I'd be ecstatic if I found out who you were." Unfortunately, that wasn't exactly true. The night before had been a disaster.

"It didn't exactly go well. He started to flirt with me! God, of all the reactions to have... but it was much worse because he wasn't actually flirting with me! He was flirting with Ladybug!" Chat Noir's heart plummeted. He had royally fucked up. 

"Well, maybe he was just scared to flirt with you before. Maybe hearing you were Ladybug made it easier." 

Marinette snorted. "I highly doubt that."

"Why? I'm certain you are absolutely ravishing outside of the mask, bugaboo." Chat wanted to punch himself in the face. He sounded like a smitten fool.

"Well, he's handsome, and kind, and way out of my league! He's literally a model! Before he found out who I was, I don't think he would've ever given me a second glance." Chat was dismayed to see her eyes watering. He gently wiped them away, barely realizing she had just called him handsome.

"My Lady, I can't stand seeing you like this. You're probably the one way out of his league, and not because you're a superhero. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met." Ladybug sniffled and leaned on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, and they sat for a bit.

Ladybug lifted her head and looked at him again. 

"Chat, what do I do?"

"I think you're overthinking this, my Lady. Talk to him, I'm sure he'll apologize. You're friends, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"It'll be all right, bugaboo. I promise." Chat Noir's ring beeped, bringing the conversation to an abrupt end. Plagg was going to get a piece of his mind when they got home, he wasn't done yet!

"You'd better go." Ladybug said, standing up. Chat nodded and bowed, taking her hand.

"Til next time, my Lady." He kissed her hand, but this time, there was none of the boldness, no Cheshire grin, just a small smile. He went off.

Marinette couldn't help but wonder what had made him act so weird that night. God, he hadn't flirted with her. Hell, he hadn't used a single pun! Something was definitely up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a bit shitty, didn't turn out the way I wanted it to... but I will still be continuing!  
> I love comments guys, please let me know if there's anything you like or anything I could improve on :)


	7. Chapter 7

Adrien had no idea what he was going to do.

He could reveal his identity. But what would that accomplish? She'd hate Chat as much as she hated Adrien. 

He could confess to Marinette that he was in love with her. But that'd be weird. Plus, it'd probably just provide another excuse for her to distance herself from him.

He could apologize and explain that he just didn't know how to react to finding out Marinette's secret, so he'd flirted as a defense mechanism. 

The last option sounded best, so that was what he was going with. 

It was finally Monday, so after a long weekend of staring out the window, moping, and refreshing the Ladyblog over and over again, Adrien was ready for school to start again, despite the awkwardness associated with seeing Marinette. Adrien climbed out of the limo, swinging his bag over one shoulder, and waved goodbye to Gorilla. Nino came rushing over.

"Dude! What happened on Friday?" Nino started to call before he even said hello, "I've been trying to reach you all weekend! Where the hell were you, man?" Adrien gave a sheepish grimace. He had almost forgotten about the 32 missed calls from Nino and the 46 texts, which were all variations of "DUDE".

"It uh. It got really late and" Adrien's voice trailed off, and he continued, almost in a whisper, "I flirted with Marinette pretty hardcore. She was uncomfortable so she left." Nino frowned.

"You flirted with Marinette? Why didn't you tell me you liked her?!"

"It uh, never came up?" Adrien said truthfully. Even he hadn't really known it before he thought about it. 

"And she was uncomfortable?!" Adrien was confused to see Nino was genuinely surprised.

"Why wouldn't she be? I'm her friend. Friends generally don't flirt with friends." He paused. "Except Ladybug and Chat Noir," he added as an afterthought. 

"Adrien, most of the girls in Paris are obsessed with you. Haven't you seen Chloe lately?" 

Adrien groaned. "Chloe isn't exactly the most accurate measure of 'most of the girls in Paris'. Marinette was uncomfortable, trust me." 

"All right..." Nino continued skeptically.

\-----------

Marinette was late, as usual. She rushed in the classroom and breathlessly slid into her seat, just as the bell rang. Adrien turned around slightly and met her eyes for just a moment before turning back, which made her cheeks flush. In all honesty, she wasn't ready to face him, despite her hours and hours of brainstorming with Tikki about what to say to him.

She didn't hear a word of the lesson, and the agonizing clock ticking didn't exactly help. All of her time was spent on something more productive: staring at the back of Adrien's head. After about an hour of doing nothing but staring, Marinette was surprised she hadn't burned a hole through it with her fierce gaze. 

Finally, the lunch bell rang. 

Timidly, Marinette stood and tapped Adrien's shoulder lightly. 

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she said softly. Adrien's heart skipped a beat.

"Y-yeah. Of course." 

Marinette gently pulled him by his sleeve out into the hallway, and then into the janitor's closet. Adrien couldn't help but feel sparks where she was touching his arm, and he couldn't help but audibly sigh when she let go. Marinette looked around to make sure nobody was inside, then closed the door and flicked on the light switch. Suddenly, the calm façade of her countenance was replaced with a touch of resentment and anger.

"Adrien, I know you couldn't help finding out... the Thing the other day. And even though what you did about it sucked, that doesn't matter. We don't even have to be friends anymore if you don't want to. I just need you to swear to me that you won't tell anyone. And I mean ANYONE," she hissed. Adrien's face fell. Marinette stopped. She had surprised even herself with her harshness. "I-I mean. If you want to." That wasn't good either. Marinette cursed her lack of a middle ground when it came to her emotions. There were two options, and two only: fiery, like Ladybug, or shy, like Marinette. Neither was ideal in a situation like this.

"I swear I won't, Marinette. And I'm so so sorry for what I did. I didn't really know what to do, and I get kinda awkward in situations like that... flirting is just kinda the first thing I thought to do." Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"Adrien, I have never once seen you flirt with anyone." He almost snorted. "Why the hell would flirting be your first instinct?"

"I guess most of my actions are thought out, or planned. I don't flirt because I make an effort not to; it's not exactly what my father wants to see from me. Or the world, for that matter. I couldn't really think ahead in that moment, so that's what came out."

An awkward silence persisted for a moment.

"Are we okay, Marinette?" Adrien said pleadingly, "I promise I never meant to hurt you. And- and I do like you. Not just Ladybug." 

Marinette looked at him cautiously, internally stamping down the burning fire of excitement growing in her. No, she couldn't let him know she liked him too! Especially right after the Ladybug incident. It was just too soon, she wasn't over that yet. 

"Oh."

And, with that one syllable, Marinette unintentionally broke poor Adrien's heart.

\-------

Later, Chat sat with Ladybug, legs dangling over the edge of the beam they sat at. Ladybug stared at him. She'd never seen him so glum.

"You okay, Kitty?"

Chat mustered a bit of a smile. "Yeah. Sorry, it's just some stupid civilian problems."

Ladybug couldn't stand seeing her partner so sad.

"Wanna talk about it?" She had talked to Chat about her problems earlier that week, it would only be right to reciprocate the favor.

Chat paused, measuring his words carefully.

"I told the girl I like that I like her, and it didn't exactly go well."

"Why not?"

"She didn't really respond. She just said 'oh'".

"Oh." Ladybug said. Chat looked down. "Are you sure that means she doesn't like you? Maybe there were other reasons." Ladybug playfully elbowed him a little bit. "Maybe she just can't stand your constant flirting." Damn, that had not been the right thing to say. Ladybug admonished herself as Chat looked even sadder.

"I don't really flirt in my civilian life. I'm more boring. I don't really feel like myself until I'm Chat." Ladybug nodded to show she was listening. "You see, my dad's a jerk about a lot of things, and he likes me to keep up the appearance of being perfect. I feel like I'm just my dad's puppet half the time." 

Ladybug gently put her hand on his and looked into his eyes, her own shining with sympathy.

"I-I'm sorry, Chat. I had no idea." 

Chat smiled a little bit. "It's okay. I have friends, really good friends. I couldn't ask for better. And being Chat Noir is so awesome! I can be myself, and my dad doesn't care. He doesn't even know it's his perfect little son swinging around Paris and flirting with the most beautiful lady in the city." Ladybug blushed.

"You're not too bad yourself, kitty." She ruffled his hair affectionately. He smiled. "Chat, I'll always be here for you. I'm sorry this girl's got you down, I'm sure she doesn't realize how much you hurt her, or maybe there's some other reason she didn't say anything. Even if she doesn't return your feelings, there'll always be other girls! Anyone would be crazy to turn down a great guy like you." 

"Can I show you something?" Chat said after a moment.

"Sure, Chat." He smiled. "Follow me."

\---

Chat landed in a small rooftop garden, surrounded by hedges and empty except for an ornately flowered black bench and the roses pouring off the hedges.

"This is my thinking spot." Ladybug looked around in awe. "It's beautiful, Chat." It reminded her of her balcony back home. 

"I sit here when I want to be alone. It's a place where nobody bothers me. Nobody knows about it except for you." He took her hand and kissed it, looking into her eyes.

"I'm honored, Chat," Ladybug giggled as he kissed her hand. He stood and sat on the bench, soon to be joined by Ladybug.

"How's your boy problem going?" Chat asked curiously.

"It's going well, I think. He apologized and said he hadn't meant to react like that."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Not really, no."

"Are you sure?" Chat pushed.

"I guess he did promise not to tell anyone my identity." 

Chat couldn't help but be hurt she didn't even remember his confession.

"That's good." The conversation naturally turned into silence, and they sat for a moment, looking up at the stars and enjoying each other's company. Ladybug leaned her head on Chat's shoulder.

His ring beeped, and Ladybug started to sit up.

"Wait, my Lady, don't move." 

"Chat, you've gotta go."

"No! Wait!" She rolled her eyes and put her head back in place. "Hasn't it been long enough? Is it okay if I reveal my identity?"

"Chat, no. I don't want to put you in any danger." He sighed, and his ring beeped again. She started to sit up again.

"Wait, my Lady, I have an idea. Close your eyes."

"Chat..."

"Just close them." She did so. "Are they closed?"

"Yes, Chat."

"Plagg, Claws In." Marinette's heart started beating faster as the leather she had been resting on morphed into soft cotton, and soft hair tickled her cheek.

"Chat! What are you doing?"

"Just- Let's just stay here a while longer, okay? I'll retransform when I need to leave."

"C'mon, Ad-" Adrien looked at Plagg warningly, and he rolled his eyes. "C'mon kid, I hate retransforming you! I need cheese! Beautiful, luscious, smelly, lovable cheese!" Plagg said dramatically. Ladybug giggled.

"Is that your Kwami?"

"Yeah. His name's Plagg, and he's a nuisance."

"I can't help my nature!" Plagg lamented. 

"Just shut up for a little bit, will you? I'll get you a whole wheel of Camembert at home, okay?" Plagg's eyes brightened and he hid back in Adrien's shirt pocket.

After sitting for a while, Adrien heard light snoring, followed by a beep of Ladybug's earrings. He hated to end the perfect night, but he knew it couldn't last forever. 

"Plagg, Claws Out" he whispered, and transformed.

"My Lady? It's time to wake up," he said softly. Her bleary eyes opened and she smiled as she looked at him.

"Chat?" Her earings beeped again.

"You've got to go, bugaboo. I have to go too." ;

"That rhymed" she giggled softly. Chat nodded. 

"Can you get home okay?" Ladybug stood up and yawned.

"Yeah." Chat raised an eyebrow, but before he could object, she swung away. Chat jumped after her quietly, just to make sure she got home safe. However, she ended up going into an alley and detransforming. She walked out as Marinette, and a warm feeling spread through him at seeing her yawn without the mask on. She was adorable.

He hurried down a few buildings behind her and detranformed as well.

"What're you doing, kid?" Plagg asked, annoyed.

"I'm just going to walk her home. She looks too tired to get there herself." Plagg rolled his eyes but went back into his hiding place.

Adrien rushed to catch up to Marinette.

"Marinette, do you need some help getting home?"

"Chat? I told you, I..." Adrien's heart jumped, but then she looked at him. "Oh! I'm sorry, I'm just tired. Mistook you for him for a second, you know how it goes." She looked away and looked back. "Oh! Adrien!"

Adrien laughed a little bit. "I'm walking you home." Marinette nodded sleepily and walked with him in silence until they arrived at the bakery. He opened the door for her and smiled.

"Good night, Marinette. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Marinette smiled sweetly back at him. "Good night, Adrien!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this chapter was really self-indulgent and I don't really care since it's cute as hell. Thank you for reading! As always, I love hearing from you in the comments!


	8. Chapter 8

The next day at school, Marinette and Adrien were exhausted. Marinette's head kept bobbing, and Alya stabbed her arm with a pencil every time she started to nod off.

"You're gonna get caught if you don't wake up, Marinette!" she hissed. Marinette groaned and forced her eyes open.

Adrien, however, did not have someone to wake him up. Nino was lost in his own thoughts, contemplating the transition between two songs he was using in his next DJ gig, which meant Adrien slept peacefully in the crook of his elbow.

"Adrien!" the science teacher screeched, and he sat up immediately, "What is the charge of the electron?"

"It's negative" he said, eyes drooping. The teacher glared at him for a moment then went back to her incredibly boring lesson on something he'd learned two years before.

Alya grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a note before passing it to Marinette.

_Why are you so tired today?_

Marinette waited for Mme. Mendeleiev to turn her back before she responded,

_I couldn't sleep last night_

A worried Alya quickly wrote back.

_Is it because of Adrien? Are you okay?_

Marinette sighed and was about to continue when Mme. Mendeleiev suddenly snatched away the piece of notebook paper.

"Do any of you pay me any attention?" she asked furiously. Everyone continued doing what they were doing. "CLASS?" Half of the class jumped in surprise, and Mme. Mendeleiev opened her mouth, anger lacing her expression. Before she could punish them, however, the bell rang. She sat, defeated, in her chair as the class filtered out, suddenly loud and bustling.

"Alpha Decay." Mme. Mendeleiev looked up, an outline of purple appearing around her eyes. "They never listen, do they. The children don't appreciate your efforts. Nobody appreciates your efforts. With my help, everyone will be paying attention... and all I ask in return is Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses." She nodded, a smile gracing her lips.

\---

"Attention all faculty! Akuma in the school! Please help students exit in an orderly fashion." On hearing the announcement, Mme. Bustier quickly gathered the students and ushered them out. Marinette and Adrien escaped in the rush of students.

Marinette ran into a janitor's closet, and slammed the door behind her, only to bump into Adrien.

"Oh! M-Marinette, I was just..." he stuttered,

"Get out of here! It's not safe!" Adrien bit his lip, considering his options, and decided to go find another place to transform. However, as soon as he stepped out, Marinette pulled him back in. "The akuma is too close," she whispered, putting her finger on Adrien's lips to silence him. The sound of footsteps came outside the door.

"Students? It's time for class!" she yelled maliciously, "I know you're around here somewhere..." Marinette grabbed Adrien and climbed into a large box, motioning for him to join her. He crawled into the box, and she shut it above them. They heard the sound of doors being pulled open and slammed shut.

Adrien could hear the fear in Marinette's breath. He took her hand and squeezed it in reassurance, and she thankfully didn't pull away. The footsteps continued.

"Shouldn't you transform?" he whispered, quiet as a mouse,

"I'll wait for her to go away. Besides, Chat Noir will show up soon."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Adrien mumbled. Marinette heard.

"What the hell does that mean?" she hissed, indignant.

"Nothing! He probably just-" Marinette covered his mouth, her eyes wide. The sound of footsteps paused, and the door to the closet opened. Adrien held his breath.

For a moment, he could hear his own heart racing.

But the akuma moved on, slamming the door behind her. They released their breath and opened the box, but Alpha Decay was waiting there.

"So, you think you can pass notes in my class? And you, you think it's okay to sleep through my lesson?" Marinette's eyes widened in fear, and Adrien pushed himself in front of her.

"Mme. Mendeleiev?" Marinette asked, voice trembling,

"I'm not Mme. Mendeleiev, I'm Alpha Decay! And you've been slacking off far too much, Marinette." Alpha Decay used her teacher's pointer stick to send out a wave of electricity towards Marinette, but Adrien jumped on her and the wave hit the ceiling instead.

"Why you little..." The akuma struggled to hold onto her weapon as Adrien tried to wrestle it away. Marinette took the opportunity and shut the door to transform. Adrien couldn't help but turn to look in awe as his Lady emerged from the closet, and Alpha Decay took the opportunity to shock him. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Adrien!" Ladybug looked at the akuma, full of vengeance. Nobody hurt Adrien. She grabbed the villain, ready to pummel her, but she dropped a beaker of orange liquid, causing a gas to float up towards her nose. She coughed, her eyes clouded.

"Shit, I can't see!" she groaned, frantically rubbing her eyes.

"I've got you now!" the akuma cried, but suddenly, she yelped in pain.

"Need a little help, Bugaboo?" Ladybug smiled at the sound of Chat's voice.

"Took you long enough! The akuma's in her baton." She heard the sounds of fighting, and desperately felt around her, trying to find something, anything, that could clear her eyesight. It was useless.

"Ladybug! Catch!" What she assumed was the baton landed in her hand, and she broke it in half. Hoping the akuma flew out, she threw her yo-yo to purify it.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" With the swarm of ladybugs repairing everything, Ladybug's eyesight returned.

"Ah, my Lady, I know I'm attractive, but I didn't realize my smile was blinding," he teased with his signature grin.

"Shut up, Chat." Ladybug's mind was on something else as she looked around. "Did you see a boy laying on the ground over there?" She pointed to where Adrien had lay.

"Ah, yes, Adrien Agreste. I uh... helped him get away." Ladybug looked at him, eyebrow raised.

"He was unconscious."

Adrien had to think of an excuse, and fast. She couldn't exactly tell her that Plagg had bit his finger to wake him up.

"While you had the Akuma under control, I picked him up and put him in a closet."

"You put him in a closet?"

"It was the safest place, and I wanted to help!"

"I swear to God, Chat..." she started to open to door to the closet, but Chat jumped in front of it.

"No need to check on him! I'll get him out, safe and sound. You go make sure your eyes are okay."

"Chat, it's my fault he got hurt. Let me help him out."

"No! My Lady, I can handle him, promise. I know Adrien."

"You know Adrien?" Marinette asked. Chat panicked. His alibi was going downhill, and fast.

"We're really close." And he made it worse.

"You know him as Chat?" she said, increasingly confused,

"Well, uh, yeah! We're practically best friends." He kicked himself mentally.

Ladybug turned away, mumbling something under her breath. Chat sighed in relief and went into the closet. He sat against the wall, closing his eyes and breathing heavily from his panicked encounter. After a couple minutes, he heard a knock.

"Adrien? Chat?"

The panic came back.

"Ladybug?" he responded, purposely trying to sound more like his civilian self,

"Oh, thank god, Adrien. Are you okay?" She started to open the door, but he grabbed the doorknob.

"Don't come in!" Ladybug furrowed her brows.

"Why not?"

He used his Chat voice again. "I'm detransformed!"

"Chat? Adrien knows your identity?"

"I do now!" he responded as Adrien. His ring beeped for the last time, and he detransformed with a flash of green. Plagg floated up to him and whispered, "You know, now would be the perfect time to tell her who you are..." Adrien looked down. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell her.

"Chat! Why the hell would you reveal yourself to a civilian!" She felt like a hypocrite, especially since it was the same guy, but he hadn't exactly done it by accident.

"It's okay, Marinette, I won't tell" Adrien responded. Fuck. He called her Marinette. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. He could almost hear her steaming outside the closet.

"ADRIEN!" He shrunk down to the floor. He fucked up.

"Is there someone named Marinette out there with you Ladybug?" he quickly said as Chat,

"Y-yeah... My friend... she's... she's called Marinette." she responded shakily. "I'm gonna go ahead and take her to safety..."

He heard the quickly retreating footsteps of Ladybug.

"You should've told her," Plagg nagged.

"I know," Adrien sighed.

**Author's Note:**

> The reveal is close, I swear! As always, I love feedback :)


End file.
